1. Technical Field
This invention relates to robotic parts handler system for removing containers filled with articles such as mail or packages from a high speed sorting, feeding and/or stacking apparatus and conveying the container, tray, or a cartridge for containing articles to be transported to another selected location at extremely high speeds.
2. Background Information
Articles of mail and packages are typically sorted, stacked, and conveyed by apparatus such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,634,562; 5,582,324; 5,562,195; 5,422,821; 5,201,397; all of which are incorporated by reference herein. A typical sorting and stacking apparatus is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 consisting of a rectangular frame utilizing a plurality of receptacles and roller belt systems to convey, sort, and stack postal letters in accordance with a bar code or other indicia indicative of a particular destination. The articles are then fed into containers or boxes, whereby individuals detach the boxes upon filling, stack them on a cart, conveyor belt, or other means of moving, and transport the containers filled with mail articles to a distribution point.
The present mail distribution system is inherently inefficient in that the sorting, stacking, and conveying system is a highly automated high speed system capable of sorting and moving articles in a few seconds; however, the containers are manually carried by mail persons. Thus, the high speed equipment is frequently idle due to the inability of the mail persons to remove and replace the containers at a corresponding high rate of speed.
The present invention eliminates the necessary of mail persons to work in close proximity to the high speed operating equipment thereby eliminating the hazards associated therewith and the strenuous physical activities associated with moving the containers from the sorting apparatus to the distribution point manually. Moreover, conventional equipment utilizes a number of actuators, usually one for each mail slot or port requiring extensive maintenance and a large capital investment in equipment.